Council Sets Sights On Big-Ticket Events, Bond Projects for 2025

The City of Santa Clara's priority setting session focused mostly on the two major sports events coming in 2026 and a few other key initiatives.

Sports and infrastructure will be Santa Clara’s focus over the next year. At the Santa Clara City Council’s priority setting session last month, the council emphasized the need to ensure big-ticket events at Levi’s Stadium go off without a hitch and that the city spends voter-approved bond money responsibly. Super Bowl LX and FIFA World … Read more

Swim Center To Get Long-Awaited Repairs 

The council approved plans for new work on the International Swim Center and agreed on a plan to choose members of the bond oversight committee.

Santa Clara’s George Haines International Swim Center (ISC) will finally get the facelift many have been waiting for since its closure early last year. At the Santa Clara City Council’s meeting Tuesday night, the council approved allocating $10 million for more comprehensive improvements to the ISC. In June last year, the council approved $1.86 million … Read more

Santa Clara Adds to Housing Stock, Council Approves Nearly 2K Apartments

The Santa Clara City Council approved two new housing developments, one on Mission College Boulevard and the other Stevens Creek Boulevard.

Santa Clara will get another massive housing development. At its most recent meeting, March 25, the Santa Clara City Council unanimously approved adding nearly 1,800 apartments to its housing stock. The Irvine Company development, located at 2518 Mission College Blvd., will feature a large swath of below-market-rate apartments. In addition to 75 apartments listed as … Read more

Council’s “Hands Are Tied” in Cell Tower Approval

Despite an outcry from community members, the Santa Clara City Council confirmed a planning commission decision for cell towers at a local church.

Despite neighbors’ outcry, the Santa Clara City Council approved installation of three cell phone towers. After postponing the decision three times, the planning commission approved the towers, set to be installed at 3111 Benton St., last year. However, a man representing a group of more than 100 neighbors to the 40-foot poles appealed the matter … Read more

Council Approves FIFA Documents

The Santa Clara City Council approved the FIFA World Cup agreement with the BAHC despite dissent from Mayor Lisa Gillmor and Kelly Cox.

Santa Clara’s mayor is dissatisfied with the specifications in the FIFA World Cup documents. At the most recent meeting of the Santa Clara City Council Feb. 11, Mayor Lisa Gillmor told city employees she disliked how open-ended some of the contract parameters the city negotiated with the Bay Area Host Committee (BAHC) are. The documents, released … Read more

City To Offer Mental Health Services To Employees, Residents

The City of Santa Clara approved mental health services for city employees, a new incident vehicle for SCPD and a food vendor ordinance.

The Santa Clara City Council has approved a contract with a mental health provider. The three-year $390,000 contract works out to $1 per resident annually. “This effort is to provide connections to mental health care, and it is a priority of the city’s as we all know mental health significantly impacts not only the individual … Read more

Ambitious Environmental Goals Land Santa Clara on Shaky Legal Ground 

The Santa Clara City Council adjusted the reach code based on a recent ruling by a California Court and offered an update on the International Swim Center.

A legal ruling has caused Santa Clara to claw back rules requiring that all new construction be entirely electric. A 9th Circuit Court ruling against the city of Berkley found that such environmental regulations are illegal. Since Santa Clara’s regulations, known as its reach code, were modeled after Berkley’s, City Attorney Glen Googins said it … Read more

Council Gets FIFA Documents

The City of Santa Clara finally received documents about the FIFA World Cup that the staff had been long wanting to review.

The Santa Clara City Council finally got several key documents with regard to the FIFA World Cup games Levi’s Stadium is set to host in 2026. At a study session on Oct. 10, the council heard details from city employees on different aspects of what has been negotiated with the nonprofit hosting the event and … Read more

Giving Thanks for 10 Years at Independence Network

For more than 10 years, the Chahal family has found a way to selflessly give to the students of the Independence Network during the holiday season.

It was near Thanksgiving ten years ago that Daljit Chahal, a volunteer at Wilson preschool, saw Independence Network’s students leaving school and asked a teacher if there were any holiday events for these students. (Both schools are on the same campus.) There had been a holiday luncheon for the students in the past, Chahal was … Read more

Housing Complex Will Add 2,600 Apartments To Santa Clara

The Santa Clara City Council approved plans for the Kylli development in the city's Northside and a 5% rate hike from SVP.

A massive mixed-use development that came to the Santa Clara City Council nearly seven years ago has come back — with substantial changes. At its Nov. 19 meeting, the council unanimously approved the complex that adds 2,600 apartments to the city’s housing stock, but the development also includes office and retail space. Amenities featured at … Read more